First trimester passed slowly, with many naps and closed lips… we didn’t share our news with anyone until after 8 weeks when we told our parents at Easter. The day before Andrew’s 30th birthday, we had our first ultrasound… which I thought would show us a 9 week embryo, but instead showed a 7 week one. Those two weeks I thought I had surpassed had to be relived and were soooo slow! A wise mommy friend pointed out that at the end of my 40 weeks that 2 week difference would be minimal. We now set our sights on a Thanksgiving(ish) due date!
A few days later, we unveiled our secret to my parents and sister in Blowing Rock (and Andrew’s parents in NY) by putting the ultrasound pictures in Easter eggs. My sister opened hers to find a pacifier in the egg and immediately screamed, “Shut up!!” in an unbelieving, authentically excited way. My mom was thrown by the knit booties that used to belong to me, but understood once she saw the U/S picture and note… “Coming Thanksgiving 2009.” Dad opened his egg and just grinned… perhaps from shock… for the next few hours. Andrew’s parents opened their eggs while we were on the phone and the most memorable part of the conversation was Andrew’s dad saying, “Hallelujah” with audible tears in his eyes/voice.
It was a joyful Easter for sure. My prayer on the way up the mountain was for everyone (our families and the world in general) to accept the miracle of life and to love the child of God…both figuratively and literally. On a day of rebirth/resurrection, our baby came alive to our families and became more alive to us. Already our capacity to love was being stretched beyond our human understanding.
Back at school, it was all I could do to get through math between 9:30 and 10:15 without taking some breathing space and shoving a snack in my mouth. I never had morning sickness of any kind, but definitely had to eat as soon as the rumblings of my stomach began. The kids – and my teammates- had no idea I was pregnant, but I readjusted my outlook and approach with the kids knowing I had a matter of significant importance growing in my stomach. Rather than raise my voice and my blood pressure, I began to sit and wait for their attention. This strategy worked well most of the time, for most students…but the resulting patience I learned will serve me well in parenthood.
At the end of most days, whether good or bad, I rewarded myself with a nap on the couch … growing a baby is hard work! Now that I am off of the summer, I still induldge in well deserved naps. Baby A and Mommy A are on growing spurts!
A few days later, we unveiled our secret to my parents and sister in Blowing Rock (and Andrew’s parents in NY) by putting the ultrasound pictures in Easter eggs. My sister opened hers to find a pacifier in the egg and immediately screamed, “Shut up!!” in an unbelieving, authentically excited way. My mom was thrown by the knit booties that used to belong to me, but understood once she saw the U/S picture and note… “Coming Thanksgiving 2009.” Dad opened his egg and just grinned… perhaps from shock… for the next few hours. Andrew’s parents opened their eggs while we were on the phone and the most memorable part of the conversation was Andrew’s dad saying, “Hallelujah” with audible tears in his eyes/voice.
It was a joyful Easter for sure. My prayer on the way up the mountain was for everyone (our families and the world in general) to accept the miracle of life and to love the child of God…both figuratively and literally. On a day of rebirth/resurrection, our baby came alive to our families and became more alive to us. Already our capacity to love was being stretched beyond our human understanding.
Back at school, it was all I could do to get through math between 9:30 and 10:15 without taking some breathing space and shoving a snack in my mouth. I never had morning sickness of any kind, but definitely had to eat as soon as the rumblings of my stomach began. The kids – and my teammates- had no idea I was pregnant, but I readjusted my outlook and approach with the kids knowing I had a matter of significant importance growing in my stomach. Rather than raise my voice and my blood pressure, I began to sit and wait for their attention. This strategy worked well most of the time, for most students…but the resulting patience I learned will serve me well in parenthood.
At the end of most days, whether good or bad, I rewarded myself with a nap on the couch … growing a baby is hard work! Now that I am off of the summer, I still induldge in well deserved naps. Baby A and Mommy A are on growing spurts!
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